Have you heard: The most effective marketing technique for small markets

A small-town resident wanders into the local hardware store he's frequented for over twenty years. His best friend happens to mosey in at the same time. They start chatting about their latest DIY projects, and his buddy recommends a new saw. "Sharpest and sturdiest I ever used!" The first guy then browses the store and buys the exact same saw he happens to need for his current project. This is referred to as Word-of-Mouth (WOM) advertising. While small town residents can be apprehensive of large corporations and traditional marketing routes, they implicitly trust their friends' opinions. 

An important factor in WOM advertising is companies providing superb customer service. As American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, “People won’t remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.” This principle rings true in marketing too. If a customer feels cared for because the company provides courteous, professional, and knowledgeable service, they are more likely to recommend it to their friends, hence WOM advertising. 

Good WOM advertising often originates from positive reviews, like on a Facebook business page and Google reviews. Integrating those positive reviews onto the business’s website and social media posts can attract even more customers. Another way to create good WOM is being social on social media; customers no longer want to be prescribed what to think – they want a dialogue. Responding to posts about your business can increase the sense that the company genuinely cares about the opinions of their customers and is looking for ways to incorporate their feedback into their product or service development. 

Another form of WOM is User-Generated Content (UGC). UGCs are when the patrons create unsponsored content and share it on their pages, especially with a customized hashtag. These posts have the potential to go viral. A good example is when Coca-Cola conducted its "Share a Coke" campaign. During this campaign, Coca-Cola decided to print 150 common names on their bottles and then the people with those names ended up sharing photos of them consuming the beverages on their social media pages. It became so popular that over 80 countries participated (Weber, 2022).

In summary, WOM-UGC is the most beneficial technique for small markets because it is cost-effective and compelling. Customers trust their friends' opinions more than companies voicing their biases. 

References: Weber, I., 2022. 9 ways to create positive word-of-mouth advertising. Mention.com. https://mention.com/en/blog/9-ways-to-create-positive-word-of-mouth-advertising/

Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece. The information used to create this article was acquired through university research. The author is not responsible for the outcomes if the reader attempts to implement this advice.

Rebekah Schulte